~ Chapter 33: Marook (Part 1) ~

[Alkelios' point of view]

Thanks to the hellish training with my beautiful redhead dragoness, I began to wonder if I was heads over heels in love with her or I was slowly starting to turn into a masochist. The latter possibility frightened me...

Still, I wasn't visibly improving. Without the help of my Luck and constantly wishing in my mind so I wouldn't get hit by Kataryna's dangerous attacks, it was incredibly hard to control my enormous strength and speed. Fine tuned control actions were out of the question. From one point of view I was nothing more than a rampaging monster unable to stop himself, but if I were to be able to use martial arts at my full speed and strength, then the results could end up terrifying.

Nevertheless, one thing was saying it and the other was experiencing it.

“Ugh... my aching back.” I groaned while leaning on Seryanna's back.

Being so close to a beautiful woman like her felt like I was one of the luckiest humans alive. Technically speaking... that wasn't so far off from the truth.

“I'll just have her beat you senseless until you learned to master your strength and speed.” she continued nonchalantly.

“Are you my girlfriend or torturer?!” I asked.

“I'm just a cute dragoness who constantly worries for your safety.” she winked at me and then gave me a kiss on the tip of my nose.

I was literally at a loss of words. There was no safe comeback from that. It made me wonder if this was what father was talking about when he said that women are sometimes demons in disguise.

As we talked, we got closer to the outer wall of the Marook city.

Standing at almost ten meters tall, the thing was huge and countless dragons were patrolling it. Armed to the teeth and some of them even had anthropomorphic appearances, they actually had teeth and claws that could be used in combat if there ever was a time to come to that.

Because of the height, I wasn't able to see past it and take a peek at what this imposing wall was protecting, but I could see ahead of us a small line of about four carriages waiting to get past the gate. They were each being pulled by two Khosinni, and the carriages were about two, maybe three times bigger than those I saw back on Earth. While two had shabby looking drivers, only the biggest one of the three had an elegant looking dragon pulling the reins. He was perhaps a merchants or a noble of sorts. Either way, we were dead last in the line.

“Funny... when did a carriage went past us?” I asked as I struggled to remember.

“This is a road that's tied to various other villages and cities, including the port city Tunberdraken.” explained Seryanna.

“Is that so?” I said as I looked back at the road.

“Yes.” she nodded.

“Oh, that fancy shmancy looking fellow past by us last night while we were training. They camped a bit farther ahead and left earlier than us.” Kataryna pointed out.

“So that guy's coming from Pertiko?” I asked.

“Probably.” she shrugged.

There was no way she would know something like that.

Thus, we waited patiently at the end of the line until our turn finally came.

A big, brown-scald dragon with a pair of rather small wings approached us. He was one of the guards placed at this gate.

“State your name and business in Marook!” he demanded from us.

“I am Sir Seryanna Draketerus. These fellow dragons are my companions. We will be staying in Marook for a few days before continuing on with our journey.” she declared calmly.

The dragon looked at her, at the shield, her chest, and then at me. I glared at him for looking at an inappropriate place at my girlfriend.

“Keh, unawakened youngling. Very well, you may enter.” he nodded.

“Thank you.” Seryanna moved the Khosinni past him and Kataryna with Kleo followed us.

We all simply ignored his rude remark.

The moment we stepped inside, I was surprised to see so many dragons walking about, both awakened and unawakened. It looked exactly like a town from one of those Fantasy-themed games, but the architecture was huge, similar to that in Andromeda city. The population, however, far surpassed it. To top it off, the women here were beautiful too, but Seryanna and Kataryna were by far priceless gems in a sea of pebbles. Due to her personality, Kleo didn't count.

“So many people...” I said.

“There are many dragons here. This is an adventurer city where many train and prepare themselves for various quests or incursions into the Seculiar Forest.” my redhead dragoness explained.

“Is that so?” I blinked surprised.

Taking another look at the masses, I noticed that many of them were wearing equipment suitable to be called 'starter gear'. Most weapons and armor I saw were made out of copper, while some of iron, and very few of steel or other, more expensive, materials. Even so, a quick check with my [Identificus Processus Juridicus] skill revealed that despite what they were made out of, they could easily be classified in games as either Rare or Epic items. While humans might use simple one, these things were buffed and enchanted to extreme values. One such copper sword had an affix of Elemental Fire, while another could summon Merions.

Looking at them with dead eyes, I began to wonder just what sort of ridiculous power did these dragons usually wield. Well, one look at my girlfriend's stats, and I could easily tell that she was very powerful. After all, when I was dropped into this world by that no-good God-like, I had what many would call 'junk values'.

“Something the matter?” Kleo asked when she noticed the way I was looking at their gear.

“No... it's just that those are some rather ridiculous enchants on them.” I replied.

“Those weak things? Any beginner enchanter can do them!” she laughed it off.

“Is it the same on the human continent?” I asked curiously.

“I have no idea. Kataryna?” she looked back at the silver-scaled dragoness.

“Don't look at me, I never went there myself.” she shrugged.

“Me neither, but grandfather said that most humans are weak. It's their sheer numbers and cunning strategies that are frightening.” Seryanna said.

“Really?” I was doubtful.

Well, technically speaking, the humans were able to defend their borders and even advance into the Dragon Continent a bit, but that was mostly because the dragons, as far as I heard, never showed any interest towards conquering and subjugating other species.

In order to find our way faster in this town, we decided to pick a inn closer to the inner walls which separated the noble area from the common one. This way, if we ever got lost, and by we, they all meant me, all 'we' would need to do was to find the big inner wall and follow it. Sooner or later, we would arrive at the inn. It was simple and efficient.

After we settled in, me and Seryanna in a room, while the other two in another, we grabbed something quick to eat and then headed off to the Guild Hall. It was finally time for me to register as an Adventurer!

“I was waiting for this day ever since I came into this world!” I said excited.

“Hehe! Relax, we're almost there. Besides, it's not that big of a deal. Adventurers are sort of like professionals for hire.” Seryanna shrugged.

“Even so, back where I came from there were no such things as Guild Halls... except in stories.”

“Hm, maybe I should register as well. I sort of lost mine several decades ago.” Kataryna let us know as she scratched the back of her head.

“Reissuing a card shouldn't be that expensive.” Seryanna pointed out.

“True.” the dragoness nodded.

“Are these cards usable on other continents as well?” I asked curiously.

“The guilds are all affiliated with the species that built the dungeons, so the whole system is identical everywhere you go. It's very convenient like this because Adventurers have no political affiliation. Once you become a knight or accept a noble title in a country, you become eligible only to quests inside that continent or which aren't politically affiliated in any way or manner.” Seryanna explained with a rather serious tone of voice.

“Sister wanted to got to the Relliar Continent when she was younger, but after she became a knight, she wasn't able to anymore.” Kleo pointed out with a shrug.

“Is that so?” I said rubbing my chin.

So my dragoness wanted to visit the Relliar Continent. Hm... I thought to myself.

Leaving that little fact aside, we stepped inside the Guild Hall and were greeted with the curious gazes of the many dragons in there. I gulped and looked around nervously, while the dragonesses around me were mildly impressed.

Some of the more tough-looking fellows made me doubt my own strength, and their piercing glares were certainly not of the friendly type. Kataryna was showered by several lusting gazes, while me and Seryanna by mocking ones because we looked like unawakened dragons. As for Kleo, she received questioning or disapproving gazes from those who didn't took a liking to her black scales.

“Well, shall we?” asked Kataryna with a smile as she stepped forward.

We walked over to the receptionist's desk and patiently waited for our turn. An adventurer was keeping the green-scaled dragoness busy with the loot he recovered from his latest quest. I curiously looked in his direction and saw a pile of curved teeth and broken horns on the table. There was a stack of green pointy ears as well, which immediately led me to think of goblins.

After finishing with the adventurer, the receptionist walked over to us. She had long, straight chestnut hair tied up in a ponytail, freckles on her cheeks, and blue slit eyes. Her anthropomorphic characteristics were a long tail, clawed hands covered in green V-shaped scales, and a pair of curved horns on top of her head. She was wearing a simple maid-type outfit, apron and all.

“How may I help you?” she asked with a lovely smile.

“Yes. I would like to reissue my guild card, and this lad wished to join the guild!” Kataryna declared with a smile as she patted my back.

“Check it out! The mommy brought her kid to register. Pah! This place will turn into a nursery before you know it!” one of the adventurers commented.

We ignored him.

“Of course, but may I ask how long ago did you... misplace your guild card?” she asked as she pulled out a couple of papers from under the desk.

“Erm, several decades ago?” Kataryna replied while showing her a wry smile.

The receptionist squinted her eyes at her, then offered us two identical forms.

“If that's the case, then both of you will need to register as new adventurers.” she told us.

“Why?” Kataryna questioned.

With a sigh escaping her lips, the green-scaled dragoness answered “If more than 10 years have passed since you 'misplaced' the guild card, your status and rank as an adventurer with the guild is reverted back to Beginner.”

“Oh, is that so? Then I will register as a new adventurer.” Kataryna gave up on the issue with her former card.

“And what about you, miss?” the receptionist looked at Seryanna.

“I am already registered.” she took out her guild card.

Looking at it for the first time, I noticed that she was Master Rank already. We had a lot of work ahead of us if we wanted to catch up with her.

“Is that so? Then, after the two of you complete those forms, we will do a simple strength test. After the test, all you have to do is wait for us to issue your guild cards. If you don't know how to read and write, I can fill them out for you, but you can always hire someone willing to do it for a few coppers.” she explained politely.

“We know how to read and write, so it won't be a problem.” Kataryna pointed out.

“I see. Well then, call me once you have finished. The registering fee by the way is two silver coins.” she said.

We handed in four coins and completed the forms. Besides the name, age, political affiliation, and other basic details, there was also a box where we had to fill in the value of our Power Level if we knew it. On the dotted line for species, I filled in 'human'.

“What's my Power Level, Alkelios?” asked Kataryna at one point.

“Let me check.” I told her, and with this occasion I looked at Seryanna's and Kleo's as well.

[Name]: Kataryna Greorg

[Species]: Superior Draconian of the Ice Spark

[Awakened Status]: 6 out of 6 conditions met

[Level]: 1301

[Strength]: 6526+362.9

[Speed]: 8470+398.5

[Dexterity]: 7140+357.95

[Magic]: 2438+268.72

[Luck]: 41

[Magic Excellence]: 30%+4.48%

[Current Buffs]: [Dragon Tamer] <5X Life Force and Magic Energy Absorption from kills/Learning Speed. 10% of hero's overall stats gained while they are within 100 m of him.>

[Wisdom of the Old One] <Buff acquired through Awakened Breakthrough. It offers the individual a new view of the world. It raised the intuition of the individual. It grants the aura of an wise individual>

[Name]: Seryanna Draketerus

[Species]: Superior Draconian of the High Flame

[Awakened Status]: 2 of 4 Conditions met.

[Level]: 341

[Strength]: 1720+362.9

[Speed]: 1213+398.5

[Dexterity]: 1105+357.95

[Magic]: 946+268.72

[Luck]: 12

[Magic Excellence]: 30%+4.48%

[Current Buffs]: [Dragon Tamer] <5X Life Force and Magic Energy Absorption from kills/Learning Speed. 10% of hero's overall stats gained while they are within 100 m of him.>